Project Grant DESC0025111

This $1,000,000 cooperative agreement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) will support Stoke Space Technologies, Inc. to develop reusable upper stages for space launch vehicles. Specifically, the small business will build a full-scale prototype heat shield and test it under simulated ascent and atmospheric reentry conditions. Testing will occur in phases of increasing complexity, with data from each phase used to...

The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) awarded a $1,060,833 Cooperative Agreement to Genalpha Nuclear Technologies LLC to develop a "Structured Plasma Cell Thermionic Energy Conversion (SPACE-TEC)" system. This groundbreaking nuclear fuel technology is designed to directly convert nuclear heat into electricity, eliminating the need for a conventional power generation system such as a turbine generator. The project, titled "High-Efficiency...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation - Technologies (USNC-Space) a $124,592.39 Project Grant under the Space Technology program (CFDA 43.012) to design a compact radioisotope-electric-propulsion spacecraft powered by a novel chargeable atomic battery (CAB). The CAB technology aims to enable spacecraft delta-V capabilities on the order of 100 km/s with a power system specific mass of 5-8 kg/kWe. The award period runs from March 8, 2021...

The federal Project Grant award, provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Technology Mission Directorate (CFDA 43.012 Space Technology), will fund research and development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to address challenges associated with nuclear propulsion fuel and material design, safety of astronauts and the public during launch operations, and the development of modeling and simulation capabilities for nuclear systems. The $482,000...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) Project Grant award of $274,969 to Juno Propulsion Inc. will develop a new satellite thruster using rotating detonation combustion (RDC) and non-toxic propellants. The thruster is projected to operate with significantly higher specific impulse than current solutions, leading to a 100% increase in satellite lifespan in low Earth orbit. This will permit improvements such as a 40% increase in camera...

This $256,000 Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program will support Onyx Aerospace Inc.'s development of an additively manufactured, non-toxic, advanced storable hybrid rocket propulsion system. Specifically, the company will develop a thermoplastic-based fuel with electrical ignition properties suitable for cubesats. They will test fuel formulations for compatibility with the ignition...

Rocket Propulsion Systems LLC received a $255,993 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project Grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a liquid oxygen-methane engine for small satellite launch vehicles. Funded under the NSF's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), this 12-month award will support the design and testing of an engine using liquid oxygen and methane propellants. The Engineering program seeks to improve engineering research and education to foster innovation and...

The Ohio State University was awarded a $900,000 cooperative agreement by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program to develop a new "Nested Pebble Bed Blanket (NESPEB)" concept for fusion power plants. The NESPEB concept aims to address shortcomings of current blanket designs and accelerate the delivery of fusion power. Key aspects of the project include using binary-sized lithium-ceramic pebbles enclosed in beryllide shells, with a...

This Cooperative Agreement award of $1,000,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program supports the development of an advanced propellant-less propulsion system for small satellites by Field Propulsion Technologies Inc., a small business based in Aurora, Colorado. The project aims to create a prototype propulsion device utilizing a specialized metamaterial based on graphene composite that can generate thrust through unresolved...

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $275,000 Project Grant under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084) to develop a novel "Pulsar Rocket Engine" that utilizes valve-pulsed detonation technology. The project aims to demonstrate the advantages of using pulsed reactant detonations to increase engine thrust and reduce backflow pressure to the turbo pumps, allowing for significantly greater mass flow rates and improved engine efficiency....